WallPapering

1. The type of wallpaper- Quality is so important and how well it will hang. Poor quality paper will want to tear and is very fragile, also taking more time. There is also heavy or textured wallpaper that takes more time to hang and is hard to cut. Nonwoven papers  are more efficient since they do not expand during pasting, where pre-pasted papers expand when the paste is activated. There are also certain papers that wrinkle easy and need more attention around cut-ins. 

2. Dimensions of your space- Not only does this dictate how much wallpaper you need to buy, but also the labor cost itself. Most wallpapers are designed to accommodate walls that are 11’ high or less. With higher walls, you’re forced to order extra wallpaper to cover the extra height. For example, I measured for a client that had 14' ceilings and we were only going to get one strip per roll because of the repeat pattern of the particular design. But apart from needing to buy more wallcovering, it’s physically more challenging to hang wallpaper on taller walls and will take longer to hang. Hallways and Stairways come in many varieties and may require scaffolding. At this time I am not accepting jobs over 11' height that require scaffolding equipment.  

3. Prepping your space- Are the walls ready or do I need to sand down any rough edges, spackle nail holes, take off electrical outlet covers etc. I do ask that all major light fixtures be loosened or removed if possible for the tightest cut-ins. This ensures if you ever change fixtures, your wall will still be covered. Having fixtures removed also allows paper to lay smooth rather than bending it around the fixtures to cut-in, which may cause permanent wrinkles on the paper.  If you have new construction, I always recommend hanging before appliances, sink and toilet install. 

4. Number of cut-ins take time. Hanging long strips of paper on an accent wall is more efficient than the popular powder room that is a tighter space with cut-ins around the sink, toilet, door frame, light fixtures, paper and towel racks.  Areas such as curved archways also take detailed time. 

5. Miscellaneous - There might be other variable that affect how quickly I can hang, such as ease of access to the space. 

Yes, several years ago the only thing people were doing with wallpaper was REMOVING it! I hope you can feel how much I love wallpaper and how much it can transform a space and add pattern, style, color, and excitement to welcome  you and your loved ones to your home. 

Common areas to wallpaper include entry halls, powder rooms, bedrooms, nurseries, and a favorite of mine is above wainscot.

YES to nurseries and playrooms! Prints are so sophisticated that your baby and children can grow with the pattern just by changing up the décor a bit. I have read several articles that say children don't begin making design choice changes until the age of 10-12 and I have found that true with my own daughter, almost 10 who has loved the same mermaid mural since she was little. She is beginning to show interest in a new room décor, but we have also enjoyed the mural for 10 years! Don't we often change paint colors or furniture before that? 

Teenagers rooms - Back to my 10 year old daughter, now we are choosing a new design together to create a space that we feel she can continue to grow into as a young teenager, where she can express her style and personality.  A teenagers bedroom is their sanctuary, the place they go to feel at home. 

Don't be afraid to go bold in the living room either; large rooms can handle prints to make a statement. Elements such as built-in's, a fireplace, artwork or an archways break up the pattern. Other fun spaces include the back of bookshelves, curio cabinet, or inside the coat closet. 

Remember one of the primary reasons we prime is to help make the removal of the wallpaper easier when the time comes! It’s not like the old days where you’re scraping stubborn pieces of wallpaper and ruining your walls. Now you can peel off the wallpaper dry or wet and it will remove in strips. Often you will see wallpaper advertised as "strippable". Strippable means that the wallpaper can be drystripped from the wall leaving a minimum of paste or adhesive residue and without damage to the wall's surface.  

 I don't hang them. Peel and stick is much harder to install than paste-the-wall wallpaper. That is because if you do something wrong with peel & stick, you need to peel it back and try again. It is also more prone to air bubbles and wrinkles. Another professional hanger told me he didn't' have trouble with wrinkles and bubbles, but with the paper stretching as he was trying to get the pattern lined up. Paste wallpaper is made to be forgiving. Because the paste doesn’t dry right away, you can push the paper in place and the air bubbles are a lot easier to smooth out. But even better, it can be removed as well. Every single job I have done, I have to make sure the strip of paper is level down the entire wall, I am constantly pushing and arranging the paper and matching the pattern, it would be very very difficult to do with peel and stick for a large space.  If you have an older home or uneven walls it could be a nightmare! You are investing in the quality of the paper for a good outcome, I promise!  

Quality is key when choosing wallpaper. Thin or low quality paper will tend to tear easy when hanging or may not stand the test of time as well if you're in a space that you need to wipe dirty fingerprints off or if it's hung in a bathroom or kitchen with moisture. I like to see certain care symbols on the paper such as washable.  A few brands that are high quality and hang very nicely include: Schumacher, Thibaut, Cole & Son, Morris & Co., Cowtant & Tout, Milton & King, Zoffany, Sanderson, York, Anthropology, Barrow, Clark & Clark and Brunschwig & Fils.   

I also collaborate with several designers and businesses and would love to share their contact information! I highly recommend ordering samples or seeing wallpaper books in person.